


Shield and Sagefire: A Ship Manifesto

by Sauronix



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Episode Ignis Spoilers, Essay, Game Spoilers, Image Heavy, M/M, Ship Manifesto, Why Gladio and Ignis Are True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 06:59:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12978591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sauronix/pseuds/Sauronix
Summary: The individual friendships between Noctis and his retainers is at the heart of Final Fantasy XV. Although Noctis complains about Ignis’s overbearing ways, and frequently butts heads with Gladio over his capacity to do his kingly duty, the powerful bond of brotherly love he shares with each of them is obvious.What is less obvious, but no less present, is the steadfast relationship between Ignis and Gladio. Although it is not explicitly stated, one can infer that Ignis and Gladio have known each other almost as long as they have known Noctis, largely because they have both been in his service from a young age. As a result, they share a unique perspective on what it means to serve the crown, and are arguably the only ones who can truly understand each other and what is at stake.Using supporting evidence, this manifesto puts forth the argument that a close emotional relationship must exist between these two characters.Written for the free prompt for Day Seven of Gladnis Week. Please note, this is an essay, not a fanfic.





	Shield and Sagefire: A Ship Manifesto

# An Introduction to Our Leading Men

**Gladiolus Amicitia  
** Gladio is the Shield of the King—in layman's terms, he’s the royal bodyguard—and one of Noctis’s oldest friends. Since his birth, Gladio has been destined to defend Noct until his last breath. Because of his impressive physique, some might assume Gladio is all brawn and no brains. This, however, could not be further from the truth. Throughout the game, Gladio is shown to be well-read, interested in others on an intellectual level, a loyal and reliable friend, and committed to his duty as Shield. In fact, he takes his role as protector so seriously that he voluntarily—and without complaint or fanfare—stays by Ignis’s side, always ready to offer a guiding hand, after he is blinded.

 **Ignis Scientia  
** Ignis is Noctis’s chamberlain and advisor, and enjoys a close personal relationship with his charge. Like Gladio, Ignis has been groomed from a young age to support and and stand beside Noctis on his journey to becoming king—and like Gladio, Ignis is intelligent, loyal, and committed to his duty as Noctis’s Hand. Throughout the game, Ignis looks after Noctis to the point of fussiness, and he is also the group’s driver and cook. Above all, he is a thoughtful, compassionate, and sometimes self-sacrificing individual who has dedicated his entire life to serving his king to the best of his ability.

 

# Ignis and Gladio: An Understated Friendship

 

The individual friendships between Noctis and his retainers is at the heart of Final Fantasy XV. Although Noctis complains about Ignis’s overbearing ways, and frequently butts heads with Gladio over his capacity to do his kingly duty, the powerful bond of brotherly love he shares with each of them is obvious.

What is less obvious, but no less present, is the steadfast relationship between Ignis and Gladio. Although it is not explicitly stated, one can infer that Ignis and Gladio have known each other almost as long as they have known Noctis, largely because they have both been in his service from a young age. As a result, they share a unique perspective on what it means to serve the crown, and are arguably the only ones who can truly understand each other and what is at stake.

Using supporting evidence, this manifesto puts forth the argument that a close emotional relationship must exist between these two characters. While some would say the evidence indicates a platonic closeness rather than a romantic intimacy, this manifesto will take the latter tack.

 

# An Alliance of Equals

 

In Final Fantasy XV, Gladio and Ignis serve Noctis. They are his retainers—respectively, his protector and his advisor. For that reason, they are not Noctis’s equals, no matter how much they may care about each other, and no matter how strong their friendship. There are simply some things they cannot share with him—their fears, for example, or their heartbreak. In the game, we never see Gladio mourn his father or worry for his sister. We never see Ignis react to his lost vision, nor the process by which he comes to terms with his injury. There’s a reason for this: the story is told from Noctis’s point of view, and Gladio and Ignis have to be strong for him. They have to guide him and support him. They cannot appear to be weak.

Nevertheless, there are suggestions that Ignis and Gladio lean on each other when they need emotional support, and that they share a deep bond of trust and respect with one another. In Brotherhood, the prequel anime to Final Fantasy XV, they argue like an old married couple in an early scene:

> **Gladio:** Quit babying him, or he’ll never outgrow that picky eating.  
>  **Ignis:** I appreciate the advice. If you could, tell him that yourself.  
>  **Gladio:** Why me?  
>  **Ignis:** Because _I_ say it every day.  
>  **Gladio:** It ain’t my problem.  
>  **Ignis:** [glaring]  
>  **Prompto:** Come on, you two. No fighting at the table!  
>  **Gladio and Ignis:** We’re not fighting.

The conversation plays out like two parents at the end of their rope arguing over how best to rear their child. They’re so attuned to each other that they even use the same defense at the exact same time when Prompto accuses them of fighting.

In Chapter One of the game, meanwhile, when the group is at Galdin Quay, [Gladio seems to know something is wrong](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M3AdEmleeY) as they wait for Ignis to return to their quarters in the hotel. As soon as the door opens, Gladio crosses the room to meet Ignis, as if he’s waiting for Ignis to confirm something he already suspected. He and Ignis exchange a brief look, and then Gladio holds his hand out for the newspaper Ignis is carrying, wordlessly asking him to share the burden.

Based on this scene, we can extrapolate that Ignis and Gladio had some sort of conversation about the trouble in Insomnia—a conversation to which neither Noctis nor Prompto were privy—before the scene in question occurs.

Later, after the events in Altissia have played out, Gladio’s anger toward Noct on the train seems blown out of proportion, almost as if, unlike the others, he knows Ignis did something for Noct’s sake that cost him his vision. We’ll touch on that in a later chapter of this manifesto.

Incidental dialogue throughout the game is another good indicator of the abiding relationship between Ignis and Gladio. Gladio is clearly familiar with Ignis’s quirks, and often comments on them affectionately. For example, he always knowingly comments on Ignis’s obsession with Ebony. When a Coernix Station is out of stock of Ebony, he is the one to say “We can’t let him see this.”

In the optional tour with Gladio in Galdin Quay, Gladio stands up for Ignis when Noctis complains about him, demonstrating that no matter their differences, they are united in their goal of making Noctis into a man worthy of ruling Lucis:

> **Noctis:** I wish Ignis would get off my back.  
>  **Gladio:** He’d ease up if you could just get up in the morning.

  
Similarly, the way Gladio speaks to and about Ignis in battle is markedly different from the way he speaks to and about Noctis and Prompto. While he’s often yelling orders at the younger two (“Prompto! Move it!”), or admonishing them to watch their backs (“Not looking so good, prince charmless”), he tends to take a more gentle, almost concerned, tone with Ignis much of the time, indicating that he sees Ignis as an equal. Gladio knows that, unlike Prompto and maybe even Noctis, Ignis can take care of himself—but he still can’t help showing he cares.

> **Gladio:** Iggy! Are you okay?
> 
> **  
> Gladio:** Iggy! Just stay alive ‘til I get there.
> 
> **  
> **Ignis: Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.  
>  **Gladio:** Same to you.  
>    
>    
>  **Gladio:** Well, guess you were right, Iggy.  
>  **Ignis:** When am I not?
> 
> **  
> Gladio:** Where would I be without you?

Sometimes, their dialogue even mirrors each other:

> **Gladio:** That’s our Iggy!  
>  **Ignis:** Were you surprised?
> 
>   
>  **Ignis:** Extraordinary, Gladio.  
>  **Gladio:** What did you expect?

Gladio’s concern for Ignis becomes especially apparent in Chapter Ten, when Ignis is more or less helpless in battle. Gladio’s dialogue is all about accommodating and reassuring Ignis:

> **Ignis:** I only wish I could do more.  
>  **Gladio:** You staying alive is enough.

  
This exchange makes it clear why Gladio objects to Ignis joining them in the mine under Cartanica. He isn’t worried about Ignis holding them back or getting in the way; he’s worried that Ignis is putting himself is needless danger. More than anything, he’s afraid of losing Ignis.

 

# Iggy: The Pet Name

 

A lot can be said about nicknames in Final Fantasy XV—especially when it comes to who uses them. Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto all call Noctis Noct, and often, indicating their level of comfort with and affection for him. Noctis and Prompto occasionally call Gladio Big Guy. No one has a nickname for Prompto, though—not even Noctis, who is Prompto’s best friend.

In contrast, Ignis has not one, but two nicknames: Specs and Iggy. The name Specs—and, occasionally, Speccy—is used almost exclusively by Noctis. While clear that Noctis cares for Ignis, and that the nickname Specs is used in a familiar manner, it cuts a little close to schoolyard taunts such as Four Eyes. Ignis clearly doesn’t mind it (and in fact, at one point, Gladio makes a reference to Ignis keeping four eyes on the dash), but the nickname is almost as impersonal as it is friendly.

Iggy, conversely, is an affectionate diminutive that isn’t context-dependent, and is by and large solely Gladio’s pet name for Ignis. Prompto occasionally co-opts the nickname, but also experiments with Igster on one occasion, and usually defaults to simply Ignis. This indicates that he isn’t necessarily comfortable using any of these nicknames for Ignis, and that the nickname Iggy originated with Gladio. In fact, it’s rare to hear Gladio use Ignis’s full name; he generally only does it when he’s upset about something, and his use of the full name is most noticeable in Chapter Ten.

 

# Chapter Ten: Tension on a Train

 

**SPOILER ALERT: THIS SEGMENT CONTAINS DISCUSSION RELATED TO THE OFFICIAL EPISODE IGNIS TRAILER.**

   
Chapter Ten is controversial in the Final Fantasy XV fandom, and it isn’t difficult to see why. It’s the only chapter in the game that portrays a major conflict between the four main characters. In the aftermath of Altissia, Noctis is coping with the death of Lunafreya, one of his oldest friends and the woman he was supposed to marry. A time skip of “several weeks” occurs between Chapters Nine and Ten, so we aren’t explicitly shown how Noctis deals with his loss, but an exchange that occurs between him and Gladio lends some insight:

> **Gladio:** You need to grow up and get over it.  
>  **Noctis:** I am over it. I’m here, aren’t I?  
>  **Gladio:** **Maybe when you’re not too busy moping, you could look around and give a shit about someone worse off than you.  
> ** Noctis: Let go of me.  
>  **Gladio:** How’s that ring fit you? You’d rather carry it around than wear it? She gave her life so you could do your duty, not so you could sit around feeling sorry for yourself.  
>  **Noctis:** You don’t think I know that?  
>  **Gladio:** **You don’t! Ignis took one for you, too, and for what?  
> ** Ignis: Enough, Gladio!  
>  **Gladio:** **You think you’re a king, but you’re a coward.  
>  **

This exchange is interesting for several reasons. At first glance, Gladio appears to be angry in general about the way Noctis is behaving in the wake of tragedy. He questions Noctis’s commitment to his duty and his capacity to do what he must to save Lucis. But a closer look suggests that Gladio is primarily upset about what happened to Ignis—and Noctis’s seeming lack of reaction to it.

  
The meaning of the first two bolded statements in the above exchange is obvious. Gladio reams Noctis about being “too busy moping” and immediately links it back to Ignis. While he acknowledges that Noctis has lost a great deal, he reminds Noctis that Ignis also lost something significant in Altissia.

The meaning of the following statement is less obvious: “You think you’re a king, but you’re a coward.” Based on what we know of Episode Ignis, and Gladio’s assertion that “Ignis took one for [Noct], too”, it’s likely that Gladio knows more about what happened in Altissia than does Noctis—and, by association, the player. At the time of publication, Episode Ignis is still three days away, but there is still room for analysis. Is Gladio aware that Ignis put on the ring, knowing it could seriously wound or kill him? Is he comparing Noctis’s refusal to wear the ring with Ignis going above and beyond his duty, no matter the price?  
  
Duty is an important theme in Final Fantasy XV, and Gladio understands it all too well. He is, after all, the Shield of the King. He was raised to stand between Noctis and danger, even at the expense of his own life, and duty cost him his father in the fall of Insomnia. Nonetheless, he clearly struggles with the knowledge that Ignis was so cavalier about his own safety during the events in Altissia.  
  
While some of Gladio’s anger through the course of Chapter Ten is directed at Ignis, it quickly burns itself out. He doesn’t maintain the same distance with Ignis that he does with Noctis, moving from telling him, “Don’t push yourself, Ignis” in the harshest tones he ever uses with him, to asking Prompto to “keep an eye on Iggy.” He is also quick to reprimand Noctis for using magic flasks in fights in this area, telling him, “What if Iggy gets hit?” Similarly, Ignis and his injuries become a reprimand Gladio uses against Noctis. If Noctis draws a weapon too close to Ignis, or nearly hits him in battle, Gladio will snap at Noctis, “Haven’t you hurt Iggy enough?”  
  
At the end of Chapter Ten, it is Ignis who reprimands everyone, informing them in no uncertain terms that he will stay behind if he cannot keep up.

> **Ignis:** Let’s be frank. My vision hasn’t improved, and probably won’t. Yet in spite of this, I would remain with you all. Till the very end.  
>  **Gladio:** Sorry, but I object. War is a matter of life and death.  
>  **Prompto:** But we’ll be there!  
>  **Gladio:** **It’s not about us looking out for him.  
>  Prompto:** Uh huh. Well, then he should be free to choose.

It may be tempting to interpret Gladio’s response here as dismissive of Ignis, but his words aren’t those of a man who thinks his friend will get in the way. They’re the words of a man who fears for the life of someone he cares about. With the statement bolded above, Gladio isn’t saying, “You'll get in the way, so you have to stay behind.” He’s saying, “I care about you, and I _can_ protect you, but I'm afraid you’re going to die.”  
  
While it’s clear that Gladio does not agree with Ignis’s decision in this regard, he nonetheless respects it, and ceases needling and sniping at Noctis. In the aftermath of this conversation, when Noctis agrees to press forward, but not at Ignis’s expense, the rift within the group heals—and as a result, Gladio takes up his position by Ignis’s side more than Noctis’s.

 

# After Altissia

 

While the early chapters of the game gave subtle nods to the depth of Ignis and Gladio’s relationship, the post-Altissia chapters make it crystal clear.  
  
Throughout Chapter Ten, Gladio is the most visibly torn up about what happened to Ignis in Altissia. As we covered, he stands up for Ignis on the train, but there are other signs as well. When they’re sitting together in the dining car in Altissia, Gladio can’t even look at Ignis. Later, when they reach the haven in Fodina Caestina Mine, Gladio has an expression of utter devastation on his face when he looks at Ignis after helping him find his seat by the campfire.

From Chapter Ten and onward, Ignis and Gladio are rarely seen without the other’s company. Gladio is almost always there to put a steadying hand on Ignis’s back or arm; when he’s unable to, he asks Prompto to step in. As the gang leaves Cartanica at the end of Chapter Ten, Gladio rushes to Ignis’s side to guide him into the train car. In Chapter Eleven, when Ignis and Noctis are sitting together on the train, Gladio retrieves Ignis and accompanies him to talk to another passenger on the train. In Chapter Twelve, he hangs back to stay with Ignis when Noctis is running for the Regalia on the train.

In Chapter Thirteen (particularly Verse Two), Gladio repeatedly puts an arm out to shield Ignis from perceived danger. This occurs no less than three times throughout the chapter: first, when Ardyn appears to give them weapons; second, when the secret door opens as they’re going through Zegnautus Keep; and third, and when they’re confronting Ardyn after Noctis has been sucked into the Crystal.

 

# The Blind Man’s Shield

  
 

Gladio is Noctis’s Shield, but in Chapter Fourteen, it seems like he’s more interested in defending Ignis. After living for ten years as a blind man, Ignis has developed a new fighting style and, moreover, has proven he can hold his own against the daemons. Yet Gladio [ constantly runs to stand in front of or near him ](https://twitter.com/omimochi/status/836946132529885185) in battle, far more frequently than he does with Noctis. This demonstrates that despite his duty to Noctis, and despite the decade that Ignis has spent honing his combat skills, Gladio still considers Ignis a priority and devotes himself to his protection.

 

# Trivia

 

The game is scattered with countless references to the connection between Ignis and Gladio that aren’t immediately apparent. The evidence collected here doesn’t fit neatly into any of the sections we’ve covered previously.

  * The banter between the boys is often inappropriate, but Ignis says perhaps the most sexually suggestive innuendo of them all: “[Gladio’s hard as a rock](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq2oROe-6So).”


  * When the player takes the wheel as Noctis, [Ignis constantly stares at Gladio in the backseat of the Regalia](https://78.media.tumblr.com/61133ddd59421c1b1bc1294894906593/tumblr_p09lr3HJZX1wjcst8o2_r1_1280.jpg).


  * Each time Ignis levels up his cooking skill, he automatically learns a new recipe. The recipes he learns in this manner are either his own favourites, or no one’s—with the exception of his level two recipe, the Prairie-Style Skewers. That one just so happens to be a favourite of Gladio’s.


  * In an optional scene in Chapter Fourteen, which can only be accessed randomly after sleeping at the caravan, the boys [discuss Gladio’s girlfriend and his intentions to marry her](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usWpT0-RVYY). Prompto suggests that Gladio teach a masterclass in dating, to which Ignis replies, “Or acting.” It’s a curious—even out of place—comment, as throughout the game, Ignis primarily reserves his sarcasm for Prompto and Noctis rather than Gladio.


  * Gladio speaks a few lines of dialogue early in the game that foreshadow Ignis going blind. As the party stands on the steps of the Citadel right before they leave Altissia, Gladio says, “We’ll see the prince to Altissia if it’s the last thing we see.” Later, when they’re following Ardyn to the Disc of Cauthess, Gladio says, “Iggy’s eyes ain’t that bad” and “Ignis likes his world to be crystal clear.”


  * The book Gladio reads in the backseat of the Regalia is called “The Silence of Knowledge.” In Latin, the word [_scientia_](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scientia) means knowledge, and the intransitive form of the word [_stupeo_](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stupeo), which was originally part of Ignis’s name, means “speechless” or “silenced.” It could be a coincidence...or could it be a hint that Gladio’s relationship with Ignis is deeper than it appears, whether platonic or otherwise?


  * The prophecy painting [depicts a man with bandages over his eyes leaning heavily on a bearded man](https://78.media.tumblr.com/ac781720766b6a481a9aa039357dd2dd/tumblr_p09lr3HJZX1wjcst8o6_r1_1280.jpg), their arms around one another. The figure in the centre with a raised hand represents Noctis—which means the blond figure on the right represents Prompto, while the bandaged and bearded men represent Ignis and Gladio respectively. The prophecy itself gives insight into the closeness of their relationship—Gladio is literally the shoulder upon which Ignis leans.



#    
The Last Word

The beauty of fandom is that everyone interprets plotlines and characters differently. The game never explicitly states that Gladio and Ignis share a significant bond that Noctis, our protagonist, doesn’t notice or understand. Nor does it overtly state that a romantic or sexual relationship exists between these characters. There is enough subtext in the game, however, that a relationship of this nature could be inferred.

Gladio and Ignis share a duty to the same king. They share an understanding of what they must do to help Noctis become the man he’s meant to be. Later, they share a loss when Noctis gives his life to save Lucis. No human being can keep their emotions bottled up indefinitely. Every human being needs a shoulder to lean on, and a sympathetic ear that will listen to their sorrows.

This manifesto has posited that Gladio and Ignis are a shoulder and ear for each other. Whether the evidence is compelling enough, I leave to you to decide. Thank you for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> There are some people I have to thank for helping me through this. First, to AtropaAzraelle for helping me make sense of the points I wanted to make, for including her own insights, and giving me video and images to work with. I couldn't have done it without you, my friend. 
> 
> Next, to Swordy, Waywardmelody, banjkazfan, and ImagiNomi for contributing their insights, evidence, and support. You guys are awesome. You made this manifesto better than I could have made it on my own.
> 
> To everyone who loves the good ship Gladnis, this one's for you. Thanks for an awesome Gladnis week, and for contributing such beautiful things to the fandom!
> 
> Let's be friends on [Tumblr](https://sauronix.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
